DuPont
was fined $99,000 for 11 safety violations federal regulators claimed
led to the November 2014 deaths of four employees at the company’s La
Porte, Texas plant.
Employees were not trained on using the building’s ventilation system and other safety procedures that could have prevented the deaths of the workers who were exposed to extremely high levels of toxic gas methyl mercaptan, the Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced."
Four people lost their lives and their families lost loved ones because DuPont did not have proper safety procedures in place," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Dr. David Michaels. "Had the company assessed the dangers involved, or trained their employees on what to do if the ventilation system stopped working, they might have had a chance."
Dan Turner, a DuPont spokesman, said the company is reviewing the OSHA findings and is cooperating with federal and state authorities as they complete investigations into the November incident.
“Safety is a core value and constant priority at DuPont,” Turner said. “Our response to this tragedy reinforces our absolute focus on safety and enables us to learn from it so that we can find ways to be an even better company.”
The November incident occurred as one worker was overwhelmed when methyl mercaptan, used to make jet fuel and insecticides, was unexpectedly released when a drain was opened on a vent line, according to OSHA. Two co-workers came to the employee’s aid, but were also overcome. A fourth-co-coworker attempted a rescue, but was unsuccessful. All four died in the building by the time the leak was brought under control two hours later.
At dangerous levels, the gas depresses the central nervous system and affects the body’s respiratory center, causing death by respiratory paralysis.
OSHA also identified scores of safety upgrades the company must undertake to prevent future accidents at the plant where 313 employees work in the company’s manufacture crop protection and chemicals businesses. DuPont was cited for one repeat OSHA violation, nine serious OSHA violations and other than serious OSHA violation.
The repeat violation was for the lack of employee training on the building’s ventilation system. In July 2010, DuPont was cited for a similar violation, OSHA reported.
DuPont has 15 business days from the receipt of its citations and proposed penalties to company, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director in Houston South, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.
Turner said the company is conducting completely new process hazards analyses in its Lannate insecticide manufacturing unit. The analyses is based on findings from the company’s own investigation. DuPont is also conducting an assessment of the implementation of its Process Safety Management System.
The company had notified the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality that the plant’s exhaust and ventilation systems malfunctioned and released small quantities of methyl mercaptan over a six-year period, according to DuPont’s filings with the regulatory agency. However, no one ever alerted OSHA about the levels of toxic gas, additional records revealed.
Employees were not trained on using the building’s ventilation system and other safety procedures that could have prevented the deaths of the workers who were exposed to extremely high levels of toxic gas methyl mercaptan, the Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced."
Four people lost their lives and their families lost loved ones because DuPont did not have proper safety procedures in place," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Dr. David Michaels. "Had the company assessed the dangers involved, or trained their employees on what to do if the ventilation system stopped working, they might have had a chance."
Dan Turner, a DuPont spokesman, said the company is reviewing the OSHA findings and is cooperating with federal and state authorities as they complete investigations into the November incident.
“Safety is a core value and constant priority at DuPont,” Turner said. “Our response to this tragedy reinforces our absolute focus on safety and enables us to learn from it so that we can find ways to be an even better company.”
The November incident occurred as one worker was overwhelmed when methyl mercaptan, used to make jet fuel and insecticides, was unexpectedly released when a drain was opened on a vent line, according to OSHA. Two co-workers came to the employee’s aid, but were also overcome. A fourth-co-coworker attempted a rescue, but was unsuccessful. All four died in the building by the time the leak was brought under control two hours later.
At dangerous levels, the gas depresses the central nervous system and affects the body’s respiratory center, causing death by respiratory paralysis.
OSHA also identified scores of safety upgrades the company must undertake to prevent future accidents at the plant where 313 employees work in the company’s manufacture crop protection and chemicals businesses. DuPont was cited for one repeat OSHA violation, nine serious OSHA violations and other than serious OSHA violation.
The repeat violation was for the lack of employee training on the building’s ventilation system. In July 2010, DuPont was cited for a similar violation, OSHA reported.
DuPont has 15 business days from the receipt of its citations and proposed penalties to company, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director in Houston South, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.
Turner said the company is conducting completely new process hazards analyses in its Lannate insecticide manufacturing unit. The analyses is based on findings from the company’s own investigation. DuPont is also conducting an assessment of the implementation of its Process Safety Management System.
The company had notified the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality that the plant’s exhaust and ventilation systems malfunctioned and released small quantities of methyl mercaptan over a six-year period, according to DuPont’s filings with the regulatory agency. However, no one ever alerted OSHA about the levels of toxic gas, additional records revealed.